NO ONE CAN SILENCE CHRIST

"In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child." (NIV ©1984)

It’s coming on Christmas and all the world is journeying toward Bethlehem, just as Mary and Joseph trudged along that dusty road over two-thousand years ago. Even those who are spending these precious days trying to erase the name of Jesus from our land are focused on the Son of God, the Christ Child. Those who want all references to Christmas removed from our December speech, use the name of Christ to describe the one they fear will "corrupt" their world. Fear? Yes. We must destroy that, or who, we believe may harm us. Are they afraid Christmas love and peace will enter their lives and push out their hate of all things of God?

For these last fifteen days of Christmas, we, as Christians, can use the name of the Lord as often as possible, so that the name of Christ Jesus may flood the world with Love. Last Saturday, a cashier at a mega-store stumbled over her required, "Have a Happy Holiday."

I responded, "And, a Merry Christmas to you too."

"Thank you, we have to say Happy Holidays," she said.

For these few and glorious days left before Christmas, let us not focus on what others do not say. Christmas cannot be silenced unless we do not speak. Let us remain true to Christ and send Christmas love and blessings to everyone we meet. Let us lead the way to Bethlehem, even if some don’t even know where they are going. Love conquers hate, not by the sward, but by the heart of God. We are just the one, faithful to Christ, who will speak his name to all those around us. Let us pray:

"Holy Father, God of all, we bow before your name and the name of your son, Jesus, the Christ of Christmas. May love rain down on all those here and flood the world with your light so that darkness and hate cannot remain. May our streets shine bright with the star of Christmas and our mouths proclaim his name and his redemptive love. Forgive us when we have remained silent and focused on those who have removed Christmas from the town-square, rather than being steadfast in our vocal proclamation of the Christ of Christmas. May this be the Christmas that the Holy Child of Bethlehem returns to the manger where we can greet him on our knees and humble our hearts to the love of Christ. Only then will we be able to carry the presence of the Holy Spirit to a weary and waiting world. In the name of, and by the power of Jesus, the Christ Child, we pray. Amen"

Doris
"God gives us stories that testify to His love. Let me tell you mine."
Copyright 2012 Doris Gaines Rapp